Michigan State Legend Finds Himself at NFL Crossroads
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins made his return to Minnesota on Sunday, and it wasn't pretty.
The Michigan State Spartans legend went 23-for-37 with 344 yards and a couple of interceptions in a 42-21 loss to this former Vikings squad, the latest in a series of rough performances from Cousins.
Cousins has now gone five straight games without throwing a touchdown pass and has amassed seven picks throughout that span.
It's unquestionably the worst stretch of Cousins' career, and it has left the 36-year-old at a crossroads.
Remember: the Falcons selected Michael Penix Jr. in the first round of the NFL Draft last April, so Cousins' job is not necessarily safe.
Yes, Atlanta signed Cousins to a massive $180 million contract that featured $100 million in guaranteed money back in March, but the fact that the Falcons also took Penix indicated that they weren't entirely sold on the aging Cousins, especially coming off of a torn Achilles.
Cousins is one of the nicest guys in this league. It's impossible not to root for him. And you know what? Back in Weeks 8 and 9, it was looking like vintage Cousins had returned, as he totaled seven passing touchdowns an no interceptions in back-to-back wins.
But perhaps Father Time is beginning to win the war with Cousins, who was actually in the middle of what appeared to be a career year in Minnesota last season before injuring his Achilles halfway through.
The Falcons have now lost five games in a row, and now, many are calling for Cousins to be benched. Sadly, it would make sense for Atlanta, as the Michigan State product is not exactly helping the Falcons win at this point.
Actually, Atlanta fell out of first place in the NFC South on Sunday, so it may not have much to lose by giving Penix a shot.
The question is whether or not the Falcons would be so willing to make a change given Cousins' contract, but desperate times call for desperate measures.
If this really is the end of the road for Cousins, then what a terrific — and underrated — career it has been for the Spartans legend.
But maybe, just maybe, Captain Kirk still has another run left in the tank.
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Matthew Schmidt is a sportswriter who covers NFL, MLB, NBA and college football and basketball. He has been writing professionally since 2011 and has also worked for Bleacher Report, FanRag Sports, ClutchPoints, NFLAnalysis.net and NBAAnalysis.net. He was born and raised in New Jersey and has a rather eclectic group of favorite teams: the Boston Celtics, New York Giants and Miami Marlins.